Drafting cradle

ABSTRACT

A DRAFTING CRADLE WITH AN APRON SUPPORTING SURFACE WHICH HAS AN OPENING THEREIN TO ALLOW FIBERS TRAPPED UNDER THE APRON TO BE READILY REMOVED.

E. IL- CRESHAW DRAFTING CRADLE Nov. 9, 1971 Filed Jan. 5, 1970 W A nH HS E W R C L D R A W D E A T TO R NE Y 3,bl,l72 Patented Nov. 9, 1971 3,618,172 DRAFTING CRADLE Edward L. Crenshaw, Spartanburg, S.C., assignor to Deering Milliken Research Corporation, Spartanburg, S.C. Filed Jan. 5, 1970, Ser. No. 546 lint. Cl. D01h /60 US. Cl. 19-245 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A drafting cradle with an apron supporting surface which has an opening therein to allow fibers trapped under the apron to be readily removed.

This invention relates to textile handling apparatus and more particularly to a textile drafting arrangement which provides for apron guiding and roll apron cleaning and which is particularly adapted for manufacture by molding.

It has been found most advantageous in an apron type drafting arrangement to provide guiding and cleaning elements for the aprons, which elements also serve to clean the apron carrying roll surface. Such cleaning and guiding elements, including cradles integrally incorporating such cleaning and guiding elements, are advantageously formed with converging apron guiding surfaces which may terminate at the small end in a reduced diameter nose, and at the opposite larger end having a concave surface of a radius of curvature which conforms to the radius of curvature of the apron carrying roll. In providing for molding of these tapered cleaning and guiding elements, it is necessary to provide for ease of mold release and to minimize the likelihood for warpage and provide satisfactory strength of the molded piece. It is further necessary to provide a structure which is readily assembled on and disassembled from a drawing, roving, spinning frame or the like with a minimum of effort and at the same time provides maximum cleaning and support.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide molded apron guiding and roll and apron cleaning elements which are easily molded with a minimum of warpage.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apron guiding and roll and apron cleaning element which has a minimum number of parts and is therefore easier and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apron guiding and roll and apron cleaning element which is supported on the rolls to reduce the possibility of apron breakage.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apron guiding and roll and apron cleaning element which is adapted to the drafting of various fiber lengths and various desired degrees of draft.

A fifth object of the invention is to provide an apron guiding and roll apron cleaning element which is readily placed into operative relation in a drafting system.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a drafting system which will efliciently handle the drafting of long staple fibers or a blend of short and long staple fibers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drafting cradle for a spinning or like frame which allows ready removal of fibers, lint, etc., that is trapped or caught between the cradle and the aprons.

Other objects and advantages of the invention wil become apparent as the specification proceeds to describe the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a drafting system incorporating the novel drafting cradle;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the middle rolls of the drafting system shown in FIG. 1 with the cradle in operative relationship; and

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the novel drafting system.

Referring now in detail to the figures of the drawings, an illustrative preferred embodiment is shown in FIGS. 1-3, in which a running mass of staple fibers F is passed in conventional manner successively between pairs of drafting rolls 10 and 12, 14 and 16 and 1 8 and 20, the middle pair of rolls 14 and 16 having a pair of endless fiber control aprons 22 and 24, respectively.

Inasmuch as the major amount of drafting is conventionally accomplished in the zone between the middle rolls 14, 16 and the front rolls 1-8, 20 from which the fibers proceed and are either twisted into yarn or drafted further, and since the running mass of fibers is also brought to a minimum size in the zone between the middle and front pairs of rolls, it is most desirable that the fibers be controlled as closely as possible in this zone. The present invention facilitates this control byfhe aprons while also enabling the ease of molding of the apron controlling and cleaning element.

Looking now to FIGS. 1-3 and more particularly to FIG. 3, the preferred apron guiding and roll and apron cleaning element consists of four basic components, namely, cradle and clearer member 26, cradle wall member 28, apron guiding and cradle connecting member 30 and roving bar 31.

Various materials may be employed in the formation of the abovementioned apron guiding and roll and apron cleaning element, including particularly those plastics which are readily moldable and which have good stability and wear characteristics, such as for instance, Delrin acetal resin, nylon and Bakelite.

Preferably, the cradle and clearer member 26 consists of a wall member 32 and an apron guiding and roll clearing member 34 which snaps into the opening 38 in the cradle wall member 28 to form a unitary structure. Both of the wall members 28 and 32 have notches 36 therein to accommodate the roll neck 39 of the upper middle roll 16 to aid in positioning the cradle and clearer member 26 and the apron guiding and cradle connecting member within the confines of the aprons 22 and 24.

The apron guiding and roll clearing member 34 is preferably molded to the wall member 32 and has a concave surface 40 which engages the lower roll 14 to clean the peripheral surface thereof. The member 34 also has an upper apron guiding and supporting surface 42 and a lower apron guiding and supporting surface 44 which forms a nose portion. The apron guiding and roll cleaning member 34 is preferably hollow and at least one end is open for reasons hereinafter explained. An elongated groove 48 is provided in the upper apron guiding surface which communicates with the hollow interior 50 of the member 34.

Apron guiding and connecting member 30 is similar in function to member 34 in that it has an apron guiding surface 52 in contact with the inner surface of the upper run of the apron 24, an apron reversing nose portion 54 to guide and tension the apron 24 and a lower apron guiding and supporting surface 56 to guide and support the lower run of apron 24.

Looking now to FIG. 3, it can be seen that the apron guiding and connecting member 30 is provided with tabs 58 which engage notches 60 in the walls 28 and 32 to help hold the cradle together and maintain the member 34 telescoped in the opening 38 in the side wall 28.

The roving bar 31 consists of the bar portion 62 which slips into the openings 64 in the cradle Walls 28 and 32 and the finger portion 66 which snaps over the outside of the cradle walls to help maintain the cradle together and 3 keep the roving bar in correct position to guide the fibers into the nip of the aprons 22 and 24.

In operation when drafting certain fibers is has been found that fibers have tended to accumulate in the space 68 between the lower middle roll 14 and the member 34. To prevent this accumulation and to eliminate the possibility of other fiber accumulation under the aprons, the groove 48 is provided to allow the loose fibers to drop or be forced by the apron pressure into the hollow interior of the member 50. As pointed out, it is preferred that at least one end of the member 34 be hollow so that a spinner or operator can periodically clean out lint which has dropped into the hollow interior '50 through the groove 48 It can be seen that a drafting cradle has been provided which supports the aprons, cleans the drafting rolls, cleans the interior of the aprons and also ensures that any accumulated lint within the confines of the apron can be easily and readily eliminated.

Although I have described in detail the preferred embodiment of my invention I contemplate that many changes may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of my invention and I desire to be limited only by the claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. A drafting arrangement comprising: an upper roll and a lower roll in nip forming engagement with the upper roll, an apron mounted around said lower roll, a

hollow apron guiding element mounted in said apron having a nose portion spaced from said lower roll and engaging the interior surface of said apron, said apron guiding element having a concave surface adjacent said lower roll, said apron guiding element having upper and lower apron guiding surfaces connecting said nose portion and said concave surface and means forming an opening in said upper apron guiding surface adjacent said concave surface and communicating with the hollow interior of said apron guiding element whereby loose fibers may drop or be forced by apron pressure into the hollow interior of said apron guiding element.

2 The structure of claim 1 wherein said apron guiding element is supported between two spaced wall members, one of said wall members having an opening therein and said apron guiding element projecting therethrough.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,129,467 4/ 1964 Swanson 19--255 3,290,732 12/1966 Pitts 19--245 X 3,374,507 3/1968 Whitehead, S11, et a1. 19-245 3,386,136 6/il968 Pitts et a1. 19245 FOREIGN PATENTS 471,914 6/1969 Switzerland 19255 DORSEY NEWTON, Primary Examiner 

